Railroad-tie spacer



July 10, 1928.

G. F; DICKS RAILROAD TIE SPACER FiledJuly v, 1927 Patented July 10, 1928.

UNITED STATES GEORGE F. DICKS, OF HOMEDALE, IDAHO.

RAILROAD-TIE SPACER.

Application filed July 7, 1927.

The invention relates to a tool for use in moving railroad ties to properly space them under the rails, and has for its object the provision of a device including a lever fulcrumed on a rod carrying a rail gripping member that is so constructed that in moving the lever in one direction the gripping member will be released from engagement with the rails to slide thereon, while moving the lever in an opposite direction will cause the member to grip the rail thus forming a fulcrum for the'lever.

T he inventionwill be described in detail hereinafter and Will be found illustrated in the accompanying drawings in Which:

Figure 1 is a side view showing the improved railroad tie spacer as applied to a railroad rail and tie,

Figure 2 is a top plan View of the imple ment, and

Figure 3 is a detail of the rail gripping member.

In the drawings similar reference characters will be used to designate correspond ing parts throughout the several views.

The railroad tie spacer comprises a lever 1 having av rod 2 pivotally secured thereto by means of a bifurcated end 3. Rod 2 has its free end secured to a slotted head 4, and pivotally mounted in the slotted head 4 is a rail gripping member 5 by means of pivot pin 6. Rail gripping member 5 is provided Serial No. 204,037.

with downwardly extending spaced flanges 7 forming a U-shaped member to the tread of the railroad rail A and to grip the sides of the tread when the lever 1 is moved outwardly and downwardly to engage a tie and provide holding means forthe rod 2 to fulcrum the lever l. A lug 8 extends laterally of one side of the member 5 and by engaging the slotted frame 4 when the lever is. moved in the opposite direction serves to release the flanges? from gripping posii011 and permit the U-shaped gripping member to ride on the rail to assume another position to grip the rail when the lever is moved in the first mentioned direction again.

The construction and operation of the invention will be apparent from the copy of the drawings and the above description and a further description is considered to be unnecessar \Vhat is claimed is A railroad tie spacer, comprising a lever adapted to engage a tie, a rod pivotally 5 engaging said lever, a slotted head on said rod, a U-shaped member pivotally secured in said head, and a stop on said'U-shaped uember to limit the pivotal movement thereof in one direction, said U-shaped memher being adapted to seat on a railroad rail and grip it during one movement thereof.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

GEORGE F. DICKS. 

